A new piece for string quartet - AYLAN

This morning, as my personal response to the Refugee Crisis, I have written a short piece of music for string quartet. It's called Aylan (after the 3-year old whose body was found on the beach a couple of days ago).

The piece can be found in this folder:

https://app.box.com/s/lc1w8dxcg2tlclaua004zuca2t1kwuom

- there's a Sibelius score, score and parts as PDFs and an MP3 of the Sibelius "performance".

I'm going to be circulating it to friends I know who play in string quartets to see if any of them will perform it AND, hopefully, continue to put pressure on the governments of Europe - maybe even ask audiences to donate to some of the charities who are trying to help this dreadful situation.

Thanks for reading this and please feel free to forward it to anyone else you think might be interested.

27 Years Ago: Band Aid recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Twenty-seven years ago today, on 25th November 1984, 36 British and Irish musicians, inspired by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, went to SARM studios in Notting Hill, London to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?"



A few days earlier, Bob Geldif had watched Michael Buerk's news reports from drought and famine-stricken Ehiopia. He decided he wanted to do something and Band Aid was the result raising millions of pounds to bring food and water to those suffering in Africa.

Since then, there have been two more "Band Aids" who also released versions of the same song in new arrangements - in 1990, Band Aid II was very much a Stock, Aitken & Waterman collection of pop stars, and, in 2004, Band Aid 20 released a darker, more melancholy cover that both marked the 20th anniversary of the original but also helped raise funds for yet another African drought and famine.

The performers on the original 1984 version were (in record sleeve order):

Adam Clayton (U2)
Phil Collins (Genesis, and solo)
Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats)
Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet)
Chris Cross (Ultravox)
John Taylor (Duran Duran)
Paul Young
Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17)
Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
Jim Kerr (Simple Minds)
Simon Crowe (The Boomtown Rats)
Marilyn
Keren Woodward (Bananarama)
Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Nik Kershaw
Jody Watley (Shalamar)
Bono (U2)
Paul Weller (The Style Council, and The Jam)
James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & The Gang)
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
John Illsley (Dire Straits)
Terry Williams (Dire Straits)
George Michael (Wham!)
Midge Ure (Ultravox)
Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, and Human League)
John Keeble (Spandau Ballet)
Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Curt Smith (Tears for Fears)
Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears)
Sting (The Police)
Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats)
Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
Robert 'Kool' Bell (Kool & the Gang)
Andy Taylor (Duran Duran)
Jon Moss (Culture Club)
Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)
Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)
Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats)
David Bowie - recorded his part and sent in via the post
Boy George (Culture Club)
Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) - recorded his part over the phone
Paul McCartney (The Beatles, and Wings) - recording sent in by post
Stuart Adamson (Big Country)
Bruce Watson (Big Country)
Tony Butler (Big Country)
Mark Brzezicki (Big Country)

The iconic sleeve was created by Peter Blake.

The following three videos tell the Band Aid Story with interviews and backstage filming of the recording.

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:


The song became the fastest-selling single of all-time selling over a million copies in its first week alone and entering the charts at No. 1 (It sold more copies than all the rest of the chart combined in that first week). It stayed at No. 1 for five weeks and sold more than 3 million copies. Only Elton John's 1997 re-working of Candle in the Wind, released to mark he death of Diana, Princess of Wales has sold more copies.

It, of course, inspired both USA for Africa (a similar venture to Band Aid organised in America) and Live Aid, billed as the "global jukebox", which took place in both Philidelphia and London, in July 1985 and also used to raise money and awareness of the Ethiopian famines.

OPINION: We shouldn't get a warm glow from telethons

Yesterday, the BBC's Children in Need set a new first day fundraising record raising £26 million from all sorts of activities. Lots of praise has followed from celebs (all very keen to promote their latest book or song) and online in places like Twitter.

But, really, isn't it a disgrace that, in 2011, telethons are seen as a normal way of raising money for things which ought to be there, provided by the state?

Let's put it into a bit of context. £26 million is considerably less than the £40 million cost of the civil list (money given to the Queen) each year and, when put into contrast with the £202 million total cost of the royal family, it makes you wonder what 21st century Britons' priorities are. Why not scrap the irrelevant and anachronistic monarchy and use that money to fund hospices, youth centres, medical research, etc.

Then let's look at taxation. We (Britons) seem to expect everything without paying more tax. This is moronic on a level that only George W Bush could equal. We NEED to pay more taxes in order to find essential services - and it's not simply a case of the rich paying more, we all need to pay a bit more. In return, we'd have a better society. Doesn't that make sense? Isn't that what the majority want?

If every tax payer in the UK paid an extra one pound per week in tax (hardly enough to bankrupt anyone) it would raise over £2 BILLION pounds each year. Yes, I'll say that again, £2 BILLION - that makes yesterday's £26 million seem rather pathetic doesn't it? It shows how greedy and selfish many Britons are.

But, of course, Children in Need's trump card last night was to keep repeating that all monies donated would go to UK-based projects and charities. Yes, the xenophobic, if not racist, card. Nigel Farage must have been grinning to himself all day.

The poverty and suffering experienced by British children is nothing in comparison to the poverty and suffering of children in the Third World but, oh no, Children in Need, unlike Comic Relief, is only helping the children in a country who can well-afford to eliminate poverty and suffering affecting its own children overnight.

Anyone who watched the hours of inane nonsense last night shouldn't feel a warm glow but a deep embarrassment that they, like me, live in a society that puts greed and self above caring for others and sharing resources.

Any good Prime Minister should be embarrassed that telethons like Children in Need are providing essential services in a nation that can easily afford to fund those services, but I wonder if Cameron cares. I'm fairly sure he doesn't. Not do the vast majority of politicians in Westminster.

The time has come for a new Britain, with new priorities and an egalitarian outlook. If there is any compassion in this country then last night should be the last ever Children in Need. Sadly, I doubt it will be. There are too many who just don't care.

Remember, £1 per week from every taxpayer would raise over £2 BILLION pounds per annum. Imagine, with that as a starting point, how quickly the UK, and then the rest of the world, could be transformed.


_____

See also: http://pimpmycadence.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-don-want-to-give-to-charity.html

MOVEMBER: Top 5 Movie Moustaches

During November each year, Movember encourages me to grow moustaches to help raise funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

Here are my Top 5 Movie Moustaches - just moustaches, not beards!

5: Charlie Chaplin

4: John Travolta

3: Samuel L Jackson

2: Clark Gable

1: Tom Selleck

Who did I miss? Who hosts your favourite moustache?

OPINION: Charity Collections at Schools

I'm sure the following is a scenario familiar to households up and down the country each November:

Yesterday, my daughter, Olivia (aged 5) asked me if she could have some money to take into school next week because they were selling poppies.

Now, it's true, I do have an issue with the British Legion's red poppy appeal but that isn't my major gripe with the situation.

I asked Olivia what she knew about the poppies or what the money donated was used for. I'm sure you know her response. She knew virtually nothing and what she did know was sufficiently vague as to be meaningless.

But, despite that, her teacher was asking her for money to buy a poppy.

Doesn't this amount to theft?

Now I do think there is a particular issue with the British Legion's red poppy; very few charity badges are sold through schools and it is rare for schools to be asking for money for something that isn't part if a bigger charitable fundraising campaign, but surely, if any charity is to be promoted in school it should be fully explained to the pupils what the charity is, why the appeal is happening, what the money is used for and then, rather than a verbal message, a letter should be sent home explaining why the school is involved with that charity?

I find it deeply offensive that my daughter was asked for money for something she doesn't understand and which hasn't been explained to her properly.

Maybe it's best that schools stop charity fundraising? Certainly the sale of poppies and other lapel badges in class, and all the pressure and expectation that carries, should be outlawed - as far as I can see it is not far from mugging a 5-year old!

OPINION: I don't want to give to charity

In the last couple of years it's become almost impossible to walk through any town centre without being approached by chuggers.

No sooner do you log into any form of social media without reading someone asking for a donation for a walk or swim or skydive or Himalyan trek or something else to raise cash for some worthy cause.

The Royal Mail must make a fortune from the amount of junk mail from charities asking for regular payments to a variety of causes and daytime television viewers are bombarded at most ad breaks with requests for "Just £2 per month".

And if you dare check your emails you'll always find someone doing something exciting for charity.

It's soon going to be the season of the charity shopping catalogues... ' Tis the season to be generous.

I teach part-time. Along with many other schools the youngsters are encouraged to take part in charitable events, there's a 6th form organised charity Christmas Fair, each school house has its own charity. Pupils are told it's good to care for others and raise money for charity and, yes, I have taken part and done my bit. I've written songs used for Comic Relief and Children in Need events, I've swum stupid numbers of lengths or municipal pools and I've donated to friends and family who have (or currently are) saving the world/caring for the sick/etc.

But why?

Isn't charity fundamentally wrong?

When I think of the causes I have donated to over the years I am shocked that the vast majority of these causes isn't fully funded by central government.

Think about it.... Cancer Research, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, the Stroke Association, Marie Curie Cancer Care.... The list could go on and on and on.

There are some charities that I don't support too - as a pacifist I don't ever donate to the Royal British Legion and its younger doppelgänger Help for Heroes - both of which I think go beyond caring for injured personnel and end up glorifying war. Something I find abhorrent. But, if we as a nation do send young men and women overseas to fight, the state should provide the cost of care.

So why don't we? Surely, in a modern, civilised society all the charities I've just named, and many more that I haven't named, should have no need to exist because everything they do should be funded by the state.

Is it a sleight of hand by governments dating back decades?

As far as I can see it's simply a way of keeping taxation lower than it ought to be.

Instead those who care more or are directly affected by a particular "issue" choose to pay a tax by donating to charity.

Governments keep taxes lower and wash their hands of responsibility of a huge swathe of things.

Personally, I'd rather pay more in taxes and see lots of these "good cause" charities go out of business.

Charity should be for extras.

Charity should not be for basics.

Whoever stands to be PM in 2015 (or sooner should the coalition fall apart before that), they'll have more chance of getting my vote if they said they'd increase taxation and take responsibility for many of the basic and fundamental things which are currently done by the charitable sector.

In the likely absence of political will is there another solution?

Yes.

We should make 2012 the Year of Charity - and the best thing we should all do, to support the most essential charities, is spend 366 days not donating to any of them and forcing the government to take its responsibilities seriously.

So, next time, before you put your hand in your pocket to give to a flag day or sponsor your work colleague stop and think - is this seething the government should be doing? If it is maybe you'd do the cause more good by NOT donating.

Swimming....

I'm swimming for charity in April.... http://tinyurl.com/steadmanswims

PLEASE CONSIDER SPONSORING ME!